ai4bharat/Pralekha huggingface dataset:
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Udyog Manthan: Focused Webinars being conducted for Promoting Quality and Productivity in Indian Industry
Initiative is only the beginning of a Quality and Productivity movement in the country
Udyog Manthan, a marathon of webinars covering 45 sectors focused on Quality and Productivity in all major sectors of manufacturing and services, started on January 4, 2021. This collaborative exercise is an initiative of the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade  in association with Department of Commerce, Quality Council of India, National Productivity Council, Bureau of Indian Standards, Industry chambers and various concerned ministries.
During the inaugural session on 6th January 2021, Shri Piyush Goyal, Minister of Commerce and Industry, emphasized that for the vision of AatmaNirbhar Bharat to succeed, Indian Industry needs to concentrate on quality and productivity. He emphasized that Udyog Manthan will be a harbinger of change in the way we work, in our mindset and will truly be remembered for the strong base, that it will set for India to emerge as a global player.
During last four weeks, 18 webinars on various manufacturing and service sectors including Toys, Leather, Furniture, Chemicals, Tourism, Drone, Financial Services etc have been organized where 175 speakers, 1800 participants on WebEx and 7000+ over other social media platforms participated. Each webinar delves deep into issues related to quality of products and productivity in one specific sector. In every webinar, discussions are led by experts and industry leaders with senior officials from concerned ministries setting the context. Many International speakers and experts have shared valuable insights on Global best practices. The recommendations from all 45 sectors are being consolidated in a compendium to be released in March.
The initiative is being received very well by the industry. Udyog Manthan is only the beginning of a Quality and Productivity movement in the country. The government’s efforts in bringing out technical regulations for many sectors are being widely appreciated.
During the next few weeks, Udyog Manthan will cover various sectors including pharma, medical devices, closed circuit camera, Electronics System Design and manufacturing, New and Renewable Energy, Robotics, Aerospace and Defence, Quality in Government processes which will shine a guiding light towards realizing the vision of AatmaNirbhar Bharat. All interested participants can visit https://udyogmanthan.qcin.org/and register on https://tinyurl.com/UMparticipation.
Ministry of Jal Shakti
Cabinet approves MoU between India and Australia for collaboration in capacity building, research and development and making impact for sustainable groundwater management
The Union Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi was apprised of a Memorandum of Understanding  signed between Central Ground Water Board , Department of Water Resources, River Development and Ganga rejuvenation, India and Managing Aquifer Recharge and Sustaining Groundwater use through village-level intervention  PARTNERS, Australia in October, 2019.
The MoU has been signed to promote cooperation in surface and groundwater training, education and research to achieve water security for agricultural, urban, industrial and environmental purposes.
Prime Minister's Office
Prime Minister’s meeting with Mr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi met Mr. Vivek Lall, Chief Executive of General Atomics Global Corporation today.
They spoke about strengthening the defence technology sector in India. Mr. Lall appreciated the recent policy changes to accelerate defence and emerging technology manufacturing and augment capacity building in India.
Ministry of Information & Broadcasting
Film Division to pay tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel on National Unity Day
Films Division is paying tribute to Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel by screening a biopic to mark his 146th birth anniversary. The documentary will be streamed on Films Division website and YouTube Channel on 31st October as a part of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’ celebration by the Ministry of Information Broadcasting, Government of India.
The National Unity Day  is celebrated on 31st October every year to commemorate the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, a visionary freedom fighter-leader who is known for the pivotal role he played in national integration after independence of India.
Iron Man : Sardar Patel  traces the life and work of Sardar Patel and highlights his leading role in the Bardoli Satyagraha, as part of the civil disobedience movement and which is known as a major episode of the Indian Independence movement. The biopic also throws light on the important role he played in the integration of princely states in the Union, as the first Home Minister of India.
The film will be streamed on https://filmsdivision.org/ ‘Documentary of the Week’ section and https://www.youtube.com/user/FilmsDivision on 31st October , 2021 for 24 hours.
Ministry of Defence
CURTAIN RAISER LAUNCH OF YD 12653 
Taragiri, a Project 17A Frigate will be launched at Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited, Mumbai on 11 Sep 22. Vice Admiral Ajendra Bahadur Singh, FOC-IN-C, Western Naval Command, will be the chief guest for the event.
‘Taragiri’, named after a hill range in Himalayas located at Garhwal, is the fifth ship of Project 17A Frigates. These ships are advanced version of the P17 Frigates  with improved stealth features, state of the art weapons and sensors and platform management systems. ‘Taragiri’ is the reincarnation of erstwhile ‘Taragiri’, the Leander Class ASW Frigate, which saw numerous challenging operations in its illustrious service to the nation spanning over three decades from 16 May 1980 to 27 Jun 2013. Under the P17A program, a total of seven ships, with 04 at MDL and 03 at GRSE are under construction. Four P17A Project ships  have been launched so far between 2019 and 2022.
P17A ships have been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau which is the pioneer organization for all warship design activities of the Nation. Towing the line of the country’s unwavering efforts towards ‘AatmaNirbharata’, 75% of the orders for equipment & system of Project 17A ships are being placed on indigenous firms including MSMEs.
VM/PS
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Ministry of Labour & Employment
Central government schemes for labourers
Government is implementing various schemes for the welfare of the labourers. In this regard, Ministry has developed eShram portal for creating a comprehensive database of unorganised workers.
The Life and Disability cover is provided through Pradhan Mantri Jeevan Jyoti Bima Yojana  and Pradhan Mantri Suraksha Bima Yojana .
The Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana  provides health cover. In order to provide old age protection to unorganised sector workers the Government of India launched Pradhan Mantri Shram Yogi Maan-dhan  Pension Scheme in 2019. Other schemes such as public Distribution System through One Nation One Ration Card Scheme under National Food Security Act, Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushal Yojana, Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana, Gareeb Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan, Mahatma Gandhi Bunkar Bima Yojana, Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana, PMSVANidhi, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana etc. are also available for the
unorganized workers including labourers depending upon their eligibility criteria. Apart from these schemes, a few more schemes available are Atmanirbhar Bharat Rozgar Yojana , Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan , National Social Assistance Program, Deen Dayal Upadhyay Gramin Kaushalya Yojana , Pradhan Mantri Garib Kalyan Rojgar Abhiyan , Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan-Dhan Yojana , Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi etc. Data matching exercise of eShram data with other schemes’ data has been done.
It has been found that of the eShram data  20.63 crore are already availing One Nation One Ration Card , 11.26 crore are registered in Ayushman Bharat – Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana , 3.82 crore are registered in PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme  and 4.63 crore beneficiaries are registered in PM-Ujjwala Yojana.
During the last financial year a total of more than 1.77 crore of unorganised workers have been registered in the eShram portal in 31 different occupations.
This information was given by Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Shri Rameswar Teli in a written reply in the Rajya Sabha today.
Ministry of Science & Technology
CSIR through its NMITLI program approves a multi institutional project to develop human monoclonal antibodies  that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in patients
The project will be implemented by National Centre for Cell Science , IIT-Indore and PredOmix Technologies Pvt. Ltd. with Bharat Biotech International Ltd., as the commercialization partner
CSIR is leading the fight against Covid-19 using multi-pronged approach and multiple models of engagement. On one hand CSIR labs themselves are developing technologies and products and are working with industry and PSU partners for deployment. On the other hand, CSIR is also supporting new ideas and projects from other academic and industries through its flagship New Millennium Indian Technology Leadership Initiative  program.
Given the importance of deploying multiple strategies against Covid-19, CSIR through NMITLI program has approved a project towards development of human monoclonal antibodies  that can neutralize SARS-CoV-2 in patients. This project on generation of neutralizing human monoclonal antibodies as a therapeutic strategy will be implemented by a multi-institutional and multi-disciplinary team. The team comprises of academic institutes and industry with participants from NCCS, IIT-Indore, PredOmix Technologies Pvt. Ltd. and Bharat Biotech International Ltd 
The project aims to generate hmAbs to SARS-CoV-2 from convalescent phase of COVID-19 patients and select high affinity and neutralizing antibodies. The project also aims to anticipate future adaptation of the virus and generate hmAbs clones that can neutralize the mutated virus so that could be readily used for combating future SARS-CoV infections.BBIL will be the commercial partner and responsible for subsequent development and commercialization of the hmAbs generated.
DG CSIR, Dr Shekhar C Mande commented that “As the research into SARS-CoV-2 is in early days and our understanding is evolving each day, it is critical that we need to deploy all possible strategies to combat the virus. Hence, CSIR is exploring all avenues and we are supporting new ideas which have clear deployment strategy”.
#CSIRFightsCovid-19
Prime Minister's Office
PM sends congratulatory message on inauguration of NIPER Ahmedabad
Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi sent a congratulatory message on the inauguration of NIPER Ahmedabad by Union Health Minister Shri Mansukh Mandaviya.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that NIPER Ahmedabad will play an important role in making India self-reliant in the field of pharmaceuticals by acting as a powerful bridge knowledge, science and research.
He posted on X:
"बहुत-बहुत बधाई और शुभकामनाएं! मुझे विश्वास है कि अहमदाबाद का NIPER ज्ञान-विज्ञान और अनुसंधान का सशक्त सेतु बनकर भारत को फार्मास्युटिकल के क्षेत्र में आत्मनिर्भर बनाने में अहम भूमिका निभाएगा।"
Ministry of Commerce & Industry
Sustainable Use of Water Need of the Hour- Suresh Prabhu
Suresh Prabhu speaking at the inaugural session of seminar on water crisis
Increasing population and climate change is a major challenge to the water resources of India said Union Minister of Commerce & Industry, Suresh Prabhu, while speaking at a seminar, in New Delhi, yesterday. The Minister said it is high time to focus on the problem in the water sector and the imminent water crisis in the country. The Minister said that per capita availability of water is constantly declining. Pointing out that around 78% of available water is used by the agriculture sector and by 2024 India will be the most populous country so there is going to be more pressure on water both for producing more food and for increased industrial activity.
There is an urgent need for optimum use of water for agricultural operations. He said that more crops should harvested from every drop of water. Expressing concern over rapid depletion of ground water, the Minister said that the use of ground water in agriculture in India is three to four times higher than the USA.
He suggested that the focus should be on sustainable use of water, whether it is agriculture or industry. The Minister further stated that water used by the industry should be treated and be used for recharging ground water. He said, municipal bodies should ensure that potable water is supplied only for drinking.
The Commerce Minister said that in terms of storage of surface water, India is positioned at the lowest level. He suggested recharging of aquifers and water bodies for storing surface water. The Minister further said that along with quantity, quality of water is equally important and therefore efforts should be made to prevent contamination of water. He said industrial units discharge untreated effluents into the rivers, municipalities are also no exception as they dump municipal waste in rivers. He said, most of the cities in India have no source of water supply, they import water from long distances to cater to the needs of a growing population.
Prime Minister's Office
PM addresses 9th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’
PM urges people to share their suggestions as India chairs COP convention on migratory species
Addressing the 9th Episode of ‘Mann Ki Baat 2.0’, Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi said the legacy that we inherited from our ancestors, the knowledge and values that have permeated entail compassion toward each and every living being and boundless love for nature, is all a part of our rich cultural heritage.
Mentioning India's efforts to create sustainable habitats for migratory species which was lauded in the recent COP-13 convention in Gandhinagar, the Prime Minister said, “Throughout the year, India is home to many migratory species. More than 500 varieties of birds fly in from varied regions.” He said, India will chair the COP convention on migratory species for the next three years and urged the people to share their suggestions on such endeavours for lending more substance to this opportunity, making it more useful. He also mentioned a rare fish species in Meghalaya. He said, “We are surrounded by many such mysteries, which are still undiscovered. To discover such a phenomenal enigma calls for fierce detective passion”.
Quoting Tamil poetess Avvaiyar “Katrathu Kaiman Alavu Kallathathu Ulagalavu” which means, what we know is but just a handful of sand; what we do not know is like a universe in itself, Prime Minister said similar is the case with the biodiversity of this country. The more you know, the more you realize the magnitude of what you do not know. He called for preserving our rich biodiversity and referred to it as a unique treasure for the entire human race.
Prime Minister's Office
PM lauds fortitude and accomplishments of our Divyang sisters and brothers on International Day of Persons with Disabilities
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi has lauded the fortitude and accomplishments of our Divyang sisters and brothers on International Day of Persons with Disabilities.
In a series of tweets, the Prime Minister said;
"On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, I laud the fortitude and accomplishments of our Divyang sisters and brothers. Our Government has undertaken numerous initiatives which have created opportunities for persons with disabilities and enabled them to shine."
"Our Government is equally focused on accessibility, which is reflected in the flagship programmes and creation of next-gen infra. I would also like to acknowledge all those working at the grassroots to bring a positive difference in the lives of persons with disabilities."
Ministry of Finance
DRI seizes 1.698 kg of cocaine worth Rs. 16.98 crore at IGI Airport
Continuing its crackdown on the trafficking in narcotic drugs, in yet another operation, the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence  was able to apprehend a Kenyan passenger, who had arrived from Nairobi yesterday, at the IGI Airport, New Delhi.
Upon oral enquiry, the passenger denied carrying any contraband. However, examination of the suspect's luggage by DRI officers resulted into recovery of approximately 1,698 grams of cocaine, with estimated value of around Rs. 17 crore in the illicit international market. She was found in possession of an air ticket for a flight to Mumbai that was to depart a few hours later, indicating that the delivery of contraband was to be done in Mumbai.
Following sustained interrogation and surveillance, a meticulously planned operation by DRI officers resulted in the successful nabbing of the intended recipient of the contraband drugs. The recipient, a female Kenyan national, was apprehended in the Vasai area of Mumbai.
Both the carrier and the recipient have been placed under arrest in accordance with the provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances  Act, 1985. Further investigation is in progress.
During January-July 2023, DRI has made 42 seizures of cocaine and heroin across the country. More than 31 kg of cocaine and 96 kg of heroin have been seized by the DRI officers during the period January-July 2023.
Ministry of Defence
Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff to Visit Russia 
Admiral Sunil Lanba, Chief of the Naval Staff, Indian Navy is visiting Russia from 26 to 29 November 2018. The visit aims to consolidate bilateral defence relations with Russia, as also to explore new avenues for defence cooperation.
The CNS will be commencing his official visit from St Petersburg on 26 November 2018, where he is scheduled to hold bilateral discussions with his counterpart, Admiral Vladimir Korolev, Commander-in-Chief, Russian Federation Navy . The Admiral is also scheduled to lay a wreath at Piskarev Memorial Cemetery dedicated to the victims of the ‘Siege of Leningrad’ and visit the Nakhimov Naval School and Admiralty Shipyard. At Moscow, the Admiral will have discussions with General VV Gerasimov, Chief of General Staff and First Deputy Defence Minister of the Russian Federation and Mr. Dmitriy Shugaev, Director, Federal Service for Military Technical Cooperation  of the Russian Federation. The Admiral will also visit the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation and deliver a talk on “Indian Navy’s Perspective on Maritime Security”.
The Indian Navy cooperates with the Russian Federation Navy on many fronts, which include operational interactions, training, hydrography cooperation and exchange of Subject Matter Experts in various fields through the medium of Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks. In addition, the Indian Navy and the Russian Federation Navy have been conducting the bilateral Maritime Exercise ‘INDRA NAVY’, since 2003 and INDRA Tri-Services Exercise since 2017. The next edition of Exercise INDRA-Navy is scheduled off Visakhapatnam in December 2018.
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DKS/AC 79/18
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Prime Minister's Office
PM addresses Krishi Kumbh in Lucknow, via video conference
The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi, today addressed the Krishi Kumbh in Lucknow, via video conference.
The Prime Minister expressed confidence that this gathering of farmers would pave the way for new technology to be imbibed and better opportunities to be created in the agriculture sector.
The Prime Minister appreciated the State Government of Uttar Pradesh, for its efforts in augmenting substantially, the procurement of foodgrains. He asserted that the farmers are the ones, who take the country forward. He reiterated the Union Government’s commitment to double the income of farmers by 2022. In this context, he mentioned the series of steps that the Government is pursuing to reduce input costs and raise profits. He mentioned that a large number of solar pumps will be installed in farms across the country in the near future. He said the Government is working to deliver the benefits of science to agriculture. He said the Rice Research Centre being set up in Varanasi, is a step in this direction.
The Prime Minister also spoke of the importance of value addition in farming. He mentioned the steps being taken in the Food Processing Sector. He said that after the Green Revolution, the emphasis now is on milk production, honey production, and also on poultry and fisheries.
The Prime Minister called for discussions on matters such as judicious use of water resources, better technology for storage, and use of latest technology in farming, during this Krishi Kumbh. He emphasized the need to evolve new technologies and ways that will help eliminate the need for farmers to burn crop stubble .
Ministry of Defence
DRDO successfully flight tests New Generation Agni P Ballistic Missile
Defence Research and Development Organisation  successfully flight tested a New Generation Nuclear Capable Ballistic Missile Agni P from Dr APJ Abdul Kalam island off the coast of Odisha, Balasore at 1055 hrs on June 28, 2021. Various telemetry and radar stations positioned along the eastern coast tracked and monitored the missile. The missile followed text book trajectory, meeting all mission objectives with high level of accuracy.
Agni P is a new generation advanced variant of Agni class of missiles. It is a canisterised missile with range capability between 1,000 and 2,000 kms.
ABB/Nampi/DK/Savvy/ADA
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Ministry of Culture
National Gallery of Modern Art presents the virtual program "NGMA KE SANGRAH SE" to showcase the rarely seen and unseen artworks from its repositoryduring lockdown
The theme of this week ARTIST BY ARTISTS is dedicated to Shri Rabindranath Tagore
National Gallery of Modern Art is closed temporarily due to COVID 19 but COVID19 failed to bring down the enthusiasm to display EXHIBITION OUTREACH DURING LOCK- DOWN. National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi proudly presents the virtual program "NGMA KE SANGRAH SE". This virtual program will showcase the rarely seen or maybe unseen jewels from its repository. This program is based on various weekly/ daily themes from NGMA’s prestigious collections.
The theme for this week is ARTIST BY ARTISTS and is dedicated to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore. This week’s program coincides with the maestro's 159th birth anniversary on 7th May 2020, a date we would like to celebrate. Many more exciting and thought-provoking themes have to come in the coming days. These virtual programs and exhibitions will give the opportunity to art lovers, artists, art connoisseurs, students, teachers, etc. to see the rarely presented artworks from their homes.
National Gallery of Modern Art, New Delhi has earlier presented various virtual exhibitions such as Jamini Roy and Raja Ravi Vermaetc. and has also shared permanent collections virtually to commemorate International Days such as International Women’s Day, International Dance Day and International Workers Day. These exhibitions are available on NGMA’s website and social media platforms.
Shri Adwaita Charan Garnayak, DG, NGMA states, “The closure of Museum galleries due to COVID 19 Lockdown did not dampen our spirits and couldn't disconnect us with our audiences. Rather, this has presented us a new opportunity to get connected in an exciting way with a wider world audience through web and social media supported by the internet. All endeavours are being received really well by the community and we are hoping to serve the same way in the coming future.”